Logging car



June 23, 1931. F. A. lsAAcsoN LOGGING CAR Filed April 12. 1929 2 Sheets-$11961l l June 23, 1931. F. A. lsAAcsoN 1,811,634

LOGGING CAR Filed April 12, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patentedfdune 23,A 1931 i UNITED STATESV :PATENT oFFlCE FRED A. IsAAcsoN, or ToPnKA, KANSAS, assrenonjro Mannion sTEEn FoUNnnIEs,

'or cHrcAao, immers, a cueros-ramoner new quasar. Y

LOG'G-ING i Applicaticn sied April 12,

. rIhis invention relates to railway cars andY is illustrated herein as embodied in a car of a typesuitable for use in transporting logs or other timber. j

Cars for carrying logs, poles, and other such timbers d and materials, inf many, instances, comprise a skeleton frame work having two or more cross pieces, generally in the form of body holsters, extending widthwise m of the frame andin use'thelogs are supported on the cross pieces. Inthe railway art, such cross pieces are commonly known as bunks, orA logging bunks, and for the sake of conven-V ience and accuracy will be so referred to hereif; inafter. Y, ,l

In order to prevent the logs or othertimber from rolling oft'l the ends of the bunksv and falling from the sides of the logging car,

it is customary to provide a plurality of ver` :zo tically extending side stakes along' the opposite sidesl of the car and to mountV these Vin such a manner that they canbe removed or dropped in the event thatV it is desired to unload the loggingv car lby spilling over one sie side or the other. In many instances, these y side stakes comprise nothing more than wooden stakes having their bottom extremi .ties insertedin metallic pockets carried along the frame of the car.V Such stakes arey objectionable for many reasons;` in the `first place they are apt to break in which event the logs may spill from Ya moving car, they must be removedby handwhen it is desired to empty the car and thisis always dang-er-` Se ous, and they do vnot last for a very long time thereby requiring frequent replacement. In view of these objectionable features many logging bunks havingV metal drop stakes loprises a sprmgrpressed plunger adapted to cated at the opposite extremities of the bunks l1 have been devised and in many instances have been patented. In Vsuch constructions, the drop stakes are arranged forf movement between a vertical position, which is the normalV operating position, and a position in `which In View ofthe danger that is connectedwith lowering a side stake whilestanding in the e path the logs will take in spilling from the.

they extend Vlaterally outward from the side of the car which is thev dumping position:V

1929, l serial No. 354,474.

nism for-operating tothe opposite side ofthe car and by such a provision the operator isV across thecar standing along the side opposite the spillingside. l

It is an object of the present` invention to providera` novel and improved logging bunk Vhaving a plurality of metallic side stakes lo-4 cated at the "opposite extremities thereof, and mechanical means yfor releasing =the side stakesy when 1t. is desired Vto spill thelogsfrom the car.

V Heretofore, it'has been customary, owing Vto the amount of pressure exerted by the logs on thel side stakes,.to extend chains, or other tension members, from .the tops of the stakes inwardly to the. logging bunks. `Although the provision .of thechains was-necessary` many disadvantages,resulted owing to the likelihood ,of the links ,to be broken-lor to: become ammed. Accordingly, it is a feature of the present invention to provide side stakes for logging cars, whichv although of considerable height, arerigidly engaged and held again'staccidental displacement by means ofv` fastening members engaging the front and, the side edges ofthe stakes. lIn the illus-V trated embodiment of the invention the fasi- Y teningmembegs for engaging stakes along one side .of the car are releasable.topermit` dropping of the stakes by "means located along the oppositefside of the car.

. Another feature of the'invention consists in the provision of a selfecentering device which is operative to position the side stakein a Y vertical, or upright position, and V,to hold it there while the fastening members are being movedinto engagement with the stake. MAs Y illustrated, the, self-centering device comaprecess formed Vin theV base of ingof the logs,.or inwardly to lie on a bracket above thelfloorof the 'loggingcan In thisv latter position, the stake is inconspicuous, out

of thev way, and is notsubjectto the blows and vibrations which arewimpartedto vertif cally disposed stakes. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, this feat-ure is carried out by pivoting the stake to the logging bunk at a point located above the frame of the logging car. Thus, the stake is free to pivot in such a manner that the upper portion of the stake moves inwardly to lie above the frame or floor.

In another aspect an important feature of the invention resides in the provision of improved tastening or locking means for holding the side stakes in an operative vertical position. As disclosed herein each side stake is provided with locking means which must be removed manually before the stake is free to be dropped and with supplemental locking means operative from the opposite side of the car to release the side stake after the manual locking means has been removed. In order that the side stake will not be accidentally dropped after the manual lookin g means has been removed, the supplemental locking means, which is operative from the opposite side of the car, is provided with a latch and cannot be operated without first being released frein the latch.

Still another feature of the invention consists in forming integrally with the stake a shoulder or proj ection for engaging the loading mechanism to prevent the la `ter from beingaccidentally displaced and consequently damaged during a loading operation.

Although the invention is illustrated hercin with particular reference to a logging car of the ordinary type having the logging bunks mounted above the floor, it is to be understood, of course, that the invention can be used in connection with ears of various other types such, for example, as cars with built up separate bunkers, or those having one piece under frames with the bunker arrangement cast as part of the under frame.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from a reading voit the following specification in the light of the accompanying drawings, inwhicl Figure l is a view in elevation of a logging bunk equipped in accordance with the present invention Figure 2 is a top plan view of thevarrangement shown in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a somewhat diagrammatic view 'llustrating the manner in which a car is equipped with logging bunks and showing also the manner in which two of the side stakes of a logging car may be coupled together for simultaneous operation;

Figure 4 a view of an end of a logging car illustrating themanner in which the side stakes are free to move; 1

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in perspective of the base extremity of a side stake;

Figures 6 and 7 are fragmentary views showing a latch mechanism with which the arrangement is provided; and

Figure 8 is a detailed .view of a locking member with which the arrangement is provided.

As shown in the drawings a logging bunk 1.0, approximately I-shaped in cross-section, is adapted to span the floor or frame of a logging car widthwise and to support logs or other'material that may be loaded thereon. To the end of preventing the load from spilling sidewise olf ofthe. logging bunks l0, the opposite extremities thereof are equipped 'ith vertically extending side stakes 12 and lll. It has just been stated that the load may tend to spill sidewise oli' ot the floor or frameA of the car; as shown herein, in Figure l, the logging bunk and side stakes are mounted upon a v'frame work wliich'comprises side sills le and lil and center sills 2() and 22,`on the other hand, in Figure 3, the logging bunks l0 are shown diagrammatically as being mounted upon a lioor Q41, it being appreciated that :he arrangement may be used with equal facility in `connection with a trame or a floor.

The side stakes l2 and 14 are pivotally connected to the opposite extremities of the logging bunks in order that they may be lowered to permit the load to spill from the car. To this end the logging bunk is provided with a cast base, indicated generally by the reference numeral Q6, which comprises an upwardly extending arm 28 (please refer to Figure 5) yformed at its upper extremity into a hearing portion 30. An opening 32 is formed in the extremity of the bunk casting 10 lying opposite the opening in the bearing 30 and thus the opening in the bracket and the opening in the extremity of the logging bunk may be considered as spaced arms between which the side stakes are mounted. As illustrated herein, the side stakes are pivotally mounted upon a bolt 34- and may swing outwardly to the position indicated by the reference character A in Figure 4:.

In use, at the completion of an unloading operation, the outer extremities of the side stakes l2 and l/lf are grasped and swung upwardly to restore the stakes to a vert`cal position, and it is an important feature of this invention to provide the arrangement with a self-centering device which will canse each side stake to come to rest in a proper vertical position when it is swung upwardly. As illustrated herein, lnirticularly as shown in Figure 5, the self-centering device comprises a downwardly depending bracket arm 36 formed integrally' with the hase casting 2, and a spring pressed plunger 38 mounted within the bracket arm and provided with a pointed upper extremity 40 :for engaging within a corresponding notch or depression 4t2 formed in the end of the side stakesV (the notch 42 may be seen by referring to Figure l or tothe righthand end of the logging bunk viewed inFigure l). Thus, it will be seen that the spring pressed plunger tends to maintain the sidestakefin'aLvertiealfpOSitiQn and that it thev operatormerely imparts an upward 1 swing to' thefstake "the lattery will move into a vertical position and `stop ythere bywreason of theplunger engagingwwithin the recess in thebase; -eThis constitutesj-an' extremely desirable 1featur.,eof the finventi'on inasmuch as `it VeXpeditesifthe restoration oi thelside stakes:A at thecompletionV of an unf loading operation; Y j 'j v IAS illustrated in- IFig-*ares `and 5, the-side stake is mounted to'one'side oritheother of the logging bunk' l0 andthes'pacein the rear of `the' side stake is unobstructed hy ,mechanism or other parts of the arrangement. Due tothis factandthefactthat the axis of pivot ofthe sidestake'isahove the floor or kframe et Y the car, as'shown in'Eigure 4, the'sidestake is `not only: lfree to move5 outwardlytof the position indicatedby the reference character A,"but is likewise-firee"tomove inwardly to the dottedlline position indicated bythereference Y character in which latter the i stake disposed above'the floor or ramelozt'l the'carA This, of course, is. the inoperativeaposition and when sol disposed the Vstake is ineens-piou-l ous and is notsubjeet tothe o ryvibrations that are impartedfto alstake when it is occupying Aa 'vertieal4 position onA anempty car. Mounti-ngltlfie stake'infsuchl a manner that it may moveinwardlyy ahovetheffloor fis an Vimportant aspectV of the invention. l-

From the description ot-the invention so fargi'ven it Willbe seen thatthe-vsicle stakes mayfmove inwardly or outwardly withre'lf spect'to the car, and-thatieachstakeis pro vided with a self-centering #device tha-this. adapted normally'to maintainlthe stakein a vertical, operativel position;` It :vvillbe'` ap`- preciated, however,"thata' substantialamount of'inward or outward' pressure appliedtothe side stake Willeause it to be' releasedi froml` the self-centering device and that according-i; lythe latter device isnot of suliicient strength to -maintain the stakes in" vertical position when the car-,is loaded V andYl'ogsiare `pressing the stakes vmitwardly 11n' view ofithisifactg, the arrangement Vis provided withfmeansfor engaging the base extremitiesoffthe side; stakes to prevent the :latter `from being acdi-f ,den'tally displaced. p i InV i the A embodiment of the invention illustratedherein, there is ,pro-

vided Aapluralityv of locking meansrfor the side stakes; one of these may beconsidereda primary. locking means, *and the other: a sup-H plemental locking means which constitutes'a; safety lock-3 :ffAs shown .in Figures; 2 andf,

the base casting 26 is provided `with a bottomy fiange 44T which' 'extends 'outwardly'and spreads into a plurality or spaced'. arms 46- stakes shown fin Figure l8, `a locking bolt comprising a shank-portion' 52and ahead portion '54 is adaptedtoheinserted into the opening withA the shank extending through the passageway in which position it contacts with the rear edge ofthe side stake, and the headl54l extending outwardly-from the opensY ingbetween the 4arms i6 and- 48. 'When the` l'ockingfboltis inserted inthe opening, the shank portion 52v firmly engages the rear side of the lside stake below the axis of pivot of the stakeafand prevents1 that member from moving;` outwardly. In order that the lockingiibolt will. not inadvertently :escape from' theopening thereby permitting the stake to move'outwardly or putting undue andexces-V sive pressure on theother locking parts, there is provided a safety pint't` which maybe inf sertednthroughi i' alinedg openings formed in the spaced 4arms 46 and 48. Init-hisjposition the pin'engages the head 54 of thelocking t whichmay be moved from an; outer to an in-r ner positioinlvaithmeans for normally main.-` taining. the stakes ina vertical position and with manually operable primary Vlocking means for engaging the inner edges of the lstakes to'maintain them rigidly in a vertical position.V Y: `As illustrated, the locking bolt and safety `pin are both connected to the carV frame by. means of a'link pin that is welded, or in any other suitable fashion connected to th'eflrame.` Itis tobe appreciated that if the primary locking means were th'e'onlymeansA provided `for maintaining` the stakes in a verticalposition that great ydanger lwould be encountered in releasing the stakes preparatory to lunloading the car; this, Vby reasonov the .fact that theoperator.Wouldhave-to stand on plemental meansv are released, the operator is i standingon the side ofthecar opposite to the" unloading side andv consequently is well out ofthe path ofthe logs. As illustrated, each of the operatinguhandles ,or levers 62 is,

through.thexmedium of a linkxbar G4, ar,-

,ranged to operate apluralityof theloeking` levers 60,the purpose of this being to eX- pedite the-unloading operation. 'It is to be understood that the. stakes may be arranged in'such a Ymanner thateither` maylbe dropped separately, two `orI more may' be 4dropped l' simultaneously by a single operation, or all stakes may be connected together in such a manner that they may be dropped siinultaneously and likewise by means of a single operation.

As illustrated iii Figure 3, the levers 60v each have a yoke-shaped outer portion 66, the spaced arms of which, as shown in Figure 2, are adapted to engage respectively the outer side or edge of the lower extremity of the side stake, and the inner` edge 68 of the outer flange of the side stake. The manner in which the outer arm of the yoke 62 engages the outer side of the lower portion of the side stake is clearly shown in Figure 5, and it will be appreciated that such an arrangement prevents inadvertent inward movement of the stake. rlhus, it will be seen that the supplemental locking means engages the base extremity of the side stake to prevent both its inner and its outer movement relatively to the car and is operable from the opposite side of the car.

In order to prevent accidental release of the supplemental locking means each of the said means is provided with a safety latch for engaging the handle 62 and preventing movement thereof. As illustrated in Figures 2, 6, and 7, the safety latch comprises a plurality of spaced members 70 and 72 adapted to receive a locking pin 74. Beneath the locking pin and between the two spaced arms the handle 62 is adapted to extend, and to permit release of the handle, the arms of the latch are mounted for pivotal movement about a pin 76.

In operation, the side stakes arereleased to permit dumping of the ear by first retracting the safety pin 56 and the locking bolt 52, and thereafter releasing the associated handle 62 from the safety latch, and finally moving the handle to release the yoke from the base of the stake, whereupon the stake is free to move inwardly or outwardly upon i J an amount of pressure being applied thereto suiiicient to overcome the resistance offered by the spring pressed plunger 38. At the completion of an unloading operation, the side stakes may be moved inwardly to lie y above the floor of the car during travel while the car is empty. In preparing the car for a subsequent loading operation, the side stakes are swung upwardly until the spring pressed plunger 38 engages the recess 42 formed in the base of the stake whereupon the locking bolt 52 is run home and held in position by means o f the safety pin 56, the handle 62 is moved to move the yoke portion 66 of the lever 60 into enfragement with the lower portion of the side stake and the safety latch is swung upwardly and the pin 74 inserted therein to lock the supplemental means dropping of the side stakes, the top of the stakes are equippedwith rings 65 to which chains may be attached. Such chains extend transversely of the car between oppositely disposed side stakes.

To the end of providing means for supporting the loading apparatus during the loading operation, each of the side stakes is provided with an outwardly extending projection or abutment 80 which may be made integrally with the side stake or made separately and secured thereto, and each of the abutineiits or projections is of su'iiicient strength to lcarry the weight of the loading apparatus. The provision of such members avoid the danger of the loading apparatus slipping and breaking any part of the logging bunks or side stakes mechanism.

Although the invention has been illustrated herein as embodied in a railway cai' of the logging type, it is to be realized and uiiderstood that the invention may have equal application to cars of other types and to other stationary containers, the side of which it may from time to time be desired to lower.

Also, alterations and modifications may from time to time be made in the illustrated embodiment of the invention without departing in the slightest from the scope of the invention as set forth in the followinfr claims.

Having described my invention what I a scribed, comprising, in combination, a pluf rality of side stakes mounted for movement between operative and inoperative positions, means for locking the side stakes in their operative positions, said locking means being releasable to permit movement of the side stakes to their inoperative positions, and means for centering the side stakes when the latter occupy their operative positions, said centering means being yieldable upon the application thereto of a substantial amount of pressure.

8. An arrangement of the character described, comprising, in combination, a plurality of side stakes mounted for movement between operative and inoperative positions, i

means for locking the side stakes in their operative positions, said locking Imeans being releasable to permit movement of the side stakes to their inoperative positions, and means for centering the side stakes when the of two additional positions in one of whichV they extend outwardly from the sides of the car and in the other of which they extend inwardly to lie above the bottom of the car.

5. A railway car comprising, in combina tio-n, airframe, a plurality of `brackets arranged along the outer sides of the frame, a plurality of lside stakes pivo'tally connected with the brackets, and releasable means adapted to engage the front and rear edges of the side stakes at points adjacent to the axes of pivot to maintain the stakes in an operative position relatively to the Vframe.

6. A railway car comprising, in'combination, a frame, al plurality of brackets arranged along the outer sides of the frame, a plurality of sidestakes pivotally connected with the brackets, releasable means adapted to engage the front and rear edges of the side stakes at points adjacent to the axes of pivot to maintain the stakesv in an operative position relatively to the frame, and additional locking means adapted to engage the inner edges of the side stakes additionally to pre-V vent outward movement of the stakes relatively to the frame. l

7. A railway car comprising, in combina tion, a frame, a plurality of brackets arranged along` the outer sides of the frame, each of said brackets comprising a plurality of spaced arms, a plurality ofside stakes each of which has its lower portion pivotally secured between the spaced arms of one of the brackets, the extreme lower extremity of each of the side stakes being arranged to extend below the axis of pivot. removable means disposed in the rear of the lower extremity to prevent outward movement of eachside stake relatively to the frame, and additional means arranged to engage the side stake to prevent inward movement thereof. Y i

8. A railway car comprising, in combination, a frame, a plurality of brackets a-r` ranged along the outer sides of the frame, each of said brackets Vcomprising a plurality of spaced arms, a plurality of side stakes each of which has its lower portion pivotally se-V cured between the spaced arms of one of the brackets, the extreme lower extremity of each of the side stakes being arranged to extend below the axis of pivot, removable means disposed in the rear of the lower extremity to prevent outward movement of each side vstake relatively to the frame, additional means arranged to engage the side stake to prevent inward movement thereof, 'and yieldable means tending normally to maintain each of said side stakes in an upright position.

9. A railway car comprising, in'combina- Y tion, a frame, a plurality of brackets ar ranged along the outer sides of the frame, each of saidV brackets comprising a plurality of spaced arms, a plurality of side stakes each of which has its lower portion pivotally secured between the spaced armsof one of the brackets, the extreme lower extremity of each of the side stakes being arranged to extend below the axis of pivot, removable means disposed in therear of the lower extremity to prevent outward movement of each side stake relatively tothe frame,` additional means arranged to engage the side stake to prevent inward movement thereof, said additional means comprising a pivoted lever having lan outer end constructed and arranged to: en` gage the front edge of the side stake and its opposite end terminating in a handle located on the side of the trame opposite to the side stake. Y

l0. A railway car comprising, in combination, a frame, a plurality of brackets arranged along the outer sides of the frame, each of said brackets comprising a plurality of spaced arms, a plurality of side stakes each of which has its lower portion pivotally-secured between the spaced arms of one ofthe brackets, the extreme lower extremity of each of the side stakes beingarranged to extend y tion, and an opposite extremity terminating below the axis of pivot, removable means disin a handle portion located onthe side of the i frame opposite to the car stake.

Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 27 day of March, 1929. i

v yFRED A. ISAACSON.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,811,634. Granted June 23, 1931, to

FRED A. ISAACSON.

It is hereby certified that the name of the assignee in the above numbered patent was erroneously written and printed as "America Steel Foundries", whereas said name should have been written and printed as American Steel Foundries, as shown by the records of assignments in this office; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 1st day of September, A. D. 1931.

M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

